Is it safe to buy Cubase 8.5 Pro now in terms of grace period update to 9?

[igoramos]

I'm in need of upgrading, but don't want to miss out on deal...

Also curious if anyone is having problems with Pro 8.5 crashing a lot in Sierra. I'm trying out the demo and it crashes very often. Mostly when I'm saving templates or projects...

[ZINO]

95% safe but one can't be sure until an official announcement is made, can he?

Having said that you should buy it now (even if you don't activate it yet), because the current upgrade prices won't be available when the announcement is made....

[koolkeys]

The last 3 or 4 releases have come in the first week of December, and in every case the grace period was October 15th. So if you bought after that, you were fine.

Though honestly, even if you buy it, you can wait to register/activate it until a bit later. But I would guess you will be fine either way. Obviously, nobody can say for sure, as ZINO said.

Brent

[igoramos]

The last 3 or 4 releases have come in the first week of December, and in every case the grace period was October 15th. So if you bought after that, you were fine.

Though honestly, even if you buy it, you can wait to register/activate it until a bit later. But I would guess you will be fine either way. Obviously, nobody can say for sure, as ZINO said.

Brent

Thanks @koolkeys and @ZINO, though I need to use it now, so I can't use it til I activate it, correct? I only have a short time left on the demo.

[koolkeys]

The last 3 or 4 releases have come in the first week of December, and in every case the grace period was October 15th. So if you bought after that, you were fine.

Though honestly, even if you buy it, you can wait to register/activate it until a bit later. But I would guess you will be fine either way. Obviously, nobody can say for sure, as ZINO said.

Brent

Thanks @koolkeys and @ZINO, though I need to use it now, so I can't use it til I activate it, correct? I only have a short time left on the demo.

No, you can use the license on the dongle. But just don't register it with My Steinberg. Not sure how that works with upgrades, but in general, "activation" means adding it to your account online.

If you have a second elicensor, there may also be a way to make it work if for some reason it forces an activation with My Steinberg. But if the update is coming in December, you should be within the grace period.

Brent

[igoramos]

The last 3 or 4 releases have come in the first week of December, and in every case the grace period was October 15th. So if you bought after that, you were fine.

Though honestly, even if you buy it, you can wait to register/activate it until a bit later. But I would guess you will be fine either way. Obviously, nobody can say for sure, as ZINO said.

Brent

Thanks @koolkeys and @ZINO, though I need to use it now, so I can't use it til I activate it, correct? I only have a short time left on the demo.

No, you can use the license on the dongle. But just don't register it with My Steinberg. Not sure how that works with upgrades, but in general, "activation" means adding it to your account online.

If you have a second elicensor, there may also be a way to make it work if for some reason it forces an activation with My Steinberg. But if the update is coming in December, you should be within the grace period.

Brent

thanks Brent! much appreciated!

[ZINO]

Is this a new licence? I don't know... As far as I remember even the new licenses, now come as serial (activation) numbers. Once you avtivate it via elicencer, that's it. Thats your activation date so you are either within the time period for a grace update or not. The mysteinberg procedure is automated. For example even if you register the dongle to the site one month form now it just inputs the data to the system, the only thing that matters is when the license was activated through the elicenser... That was your date, its over and done.

[igoramos]

Is this a new licence? I don't know... As far as I remember even the new licenses, now come as serial (activation) numbers. Once you avtivate it via elicencer, that's it. Thats your activation date so you are either within the time period for a grace update or not. The mysteinberg procedure is automated. For example even if you register the dongle to the site one month form now it just inputs the data to the system, the only thing that matters is when the license was activated through the elicenser... That was your date, its over and done.

o, I see. this is upgrading from Artist 8.0 to Pro 8.5

[koolkeys]

Is this a new licence? I don't know... As far as I remember even the new licenses, now come as serial (activation) numbers. Once you avtivate it via elicencer, that's it. Thats your activation date so you are either within the time period for a grace update or not. The mysteinberg procedure is automated. For example even if you register the dongle to the site one month form now it just inputs the data to the system, the only thing that matters is when the license was activated through the elicenser... That was your date, its over and done.

No, I don't believe this is true. People do it all the time with waiting. You can register it to the elicensor, but the activation date in My Steinberg shows when you actually make My Steinberg aware of it.

I just did it myself recently. The activation date in My Steinberg, is the date when you add it to My Steinberg. Unless there is another activation date that isn't listed. But the activation and registration dates within My Steinberg don't seem to coincide with when the license was added to the dongle.

You do NOT have to register your elicensor with My Steinberg in order to use it. In fact, you NEVER have to register it with My Steinberg if you don't want to.

Again, take it all with a grain of salt because I don't know exactly what Steinberg uses to determine eligibility. There could be a secret activation date under the hood of the elicensor. In that case, the OP should still be fine as the grace period for an early December release has likely already passed.

Brent

[koolkeys]

Another thing to keep in mind is that even if you don't fit the grace period, you probably won't be paying any more to do the upgrade now. Because 8.5 is considered a major release, upgrading from 8.0 to 9.0 will actually be upgrading two versions. The current cost for upgrading two versions is $150, while upgrading one version is only $50. So if you upgrade now to 8.5 for $50, and they keep the same upgrade pricing convention, you will pay another $50 to upgrade in December. Even if they doubled that to $100, you aren't out any more than upgrading two versions.

Again, grain of salt. Just looking at history and current pricing.

Brent

[Septimon]

it is already in german music store catalogue, should be safe to upgrade now:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=472860&p=6610085#p6610085

[igoramos]

This is fantastic! thanks everyone. Feel lucky to be able to write out and get such detailed response!

[igoramos]

Another thing to keep in mind is that even if you don't fit the grace period, you probably won't be paying any more to do the upgrade now. Because 8.5 is considered a major release, upgrading from 8.0 to 9.0 will actually be upgrading two versions. The current cost for upgrading two versions is $150, while upgrading one version is only $50. So if you upgrade now to 8.5 for $50, and they keep the same upgrade pricing convention, you will pay another $50 to upgrade in December. Even if they doubled that to $100, you aren't out any more than upgrading two versions.

Again, grain of salt. Just looking at history and current pricing.

Brent

well I am upgrading from Artist 8.0 to Pro 8.5

[ZINO]

Another thing to keep in mind is that even if you don't fit the grace period, you probably won't be paying any more to do the upgrade now. Because 8.5 is considered a major release, upgrading from 8.0 to 9.0 will actually be upgrading two versions. The current cost for upgrading two versions is $150, while upgrading one version is only $50. So if you upgrade now to 8.5 for $50, and they keep the same upgrade pricing convention, you will pay another $50 to upgrade in December. Even if they doubled that to $100, you aren't out any more than upgrading two versions.

Again, grain of salt. Just looking at history and current pricing.

Brent

This is wrong.

50 euros is ONLY the cost for the point update, not a major.

[koolkeys]

Another thing to keep in mind is that even if you don't fit the grace period, you probably won't be paying any more to do the upgrade now. Because 8.5 is considered a major release, upgrading from 8.0 to 9.0 will actually be upgrading two versions. The current cost for upgrading two versions is $150, while upgrading one version is only $50. So if you upgrade now to 8.5 for $50, and they keep the same upgrade pricing convention, you will pay another $50 to upgrade in December. Even if they doubled that to $100, you aren't out any more than upgrading two versions.

Again, grain of salt. Just looking at history and current pricing.

Brent

well I am upgrading from Artist 8.0 to Pro 8.5

Oh sorry, didn't notice that. So I guess the upgrade price will likely be the same for you.

I would say that you will be fine within the grace period, but there is no way to be 100% sure until they actually announce it. You can definitely try and not register/activate the upgrade in My Steinberg, or if you accidentally do, delete the elicensor from My Steinberg, perform maintenance, then re-register it later. If you have a second elicensor, transfer the licenses there before performing the maintenance. That should reset the activation date in My Steinberg when you decide to re-register.

Sorry, not trying to be confusing, lol. Just think of it this way, the most you will likely be out is an extra $50 or whatever the upgrade fee is. Not the ideal situation, but still. If you NEED to upgrade, that may be a small risk worth taking.

Brent